Walkabout 2013 Day 4: Reims, Épernay and Cumières

I believe it is safe to say I have never had more Champagne than I had today.  With visits to three more Champagneries and two Champagne bars, it’s doubtful I’ll ever come close to drinking this much bubbly for the rest of my mortal days.

Champagneries* visited.

• Domaine Pommery (OK)
• Champagne Daniel Etienne (OK)
• Champagne Alain Suisse (Excellent)

Alas, today was the last day of Champagnerie visits.  If everyone promises no to alert US Customs, I’ll tell you that I’ll be bringing back seven bottles of Champagne and one bottle of Ritafia.  So I hope everyone is thirsty.

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* I’m making it a thing.

Well That’s Just Great. You Hear That, Ed? Bears!

Even with my new enormous lens, you can barely* tell what these creatures are roaming about at Glacier NP.  So through the miracle of Adobe Lightroom, I’ve zoomed in and enhanced the picture.

That one dude was looking right at me.

 

* See what I did there?

Walkabout 2012 Day 19: Rapid City to Home

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Notes

• These are the last of the pictures take for Walkabout 2012.
• Once I get in “Going Home” mode, all I want to do is drive home.  So my being underwhelmed by Badlands NP and Wall Drug is probably a result of that.
• Come to Wall Drug and buy some crap!
• The original plan was to spend the night in Sioux City Iowa.  But the cheap hotel I booked was so disgusting, shady and disgusting I decided just to drive through the night and hit Dallas around 10 am – just in time for Norm’s Analysis of the Epic Ranger Collapse.

Part I

 

Part II

Walkabout 2012 Day 18: Casper to Rapid City

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Notes

• Obviously I did make it to South Dakota.
• It’s kind of a national travesty that the Crazy Horse Monument has made so little progress.
• Like the Mona Lisa, Mount Rushmore is much smaller than I ever imagined.
• The roads leading up to Mount Rushmore are lined with silly roadside attractions like The Flintstone amusement park.  Old novelty attractions from a bygone era of family road trips.
• Deadwood was a huge disappointment.  Nearly everything on the main drag is a stupid slot-machine “casino” or had some part of Wild Bill Hickok in its name.
• The Dakotah Steak House was a bit of disappointment.  Shouldn’t  a restaurant know not to serve the main course before the appetizer is finished? And what’s with overpowering your buffalo rib eye with some strange orange zest sauce? Only slightly made up for by having Macallen 18.

 

 

 

Walkabout 2012 Day 17: Jackson Hole to Casper

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Walkabout 2012 Day 16: Yellowstone to Jackson Hole

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Walkabout 2012 Day 16: More Yellowstone

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Notes

• I’m officially tired.  I had no energy for a long hike today.  I’m hoping the next couple of days driving through Wyoming will invigorate me.  If they don’t, I’m not sure if I’ll go to South Dakota.  I may just head home.
• I now believe that people fly-fish because it’s fun to just stand in a river.  I mean I would love to just stand in the Yellowstone River, but I would look foolish doing so without a fishing pole in my hand.
• Let me preface the next statement with “Yellowstone is awesome”, BUT, I would still put Yosemite way ahead of it – as well as Glacier.
• I would admit, though, that Yellowstone has much greater landscape diversity and there are a shit-tonne more wild life viewing opportunities.
• I’m also officially tired of buffalo.  I mean seriously people,  you’re pulling over to take a picture of a lone buffalo??  They’re all over the place.  Wait for a herd. 

Walkabout 2012 Day 13: Many Glaciers

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Notes

• 16 miles hiked, 530 pictures taken, four bears seen and immeasurable beauty absorbed.  Pretty nice little day there, pretty nice little day.
• I can’t lie.  I was underwhelmed yesterday by Glacier and was thinking, much like I thought I my early hours at Yosemite, that this place was failed.  Today I became whelmed.
• After 16 miles of hiking, I’m walking around like Mr. Tudball.
• If these pictures don’t cause an avalanche of comments, then I’m not posting any more pictures.
• Please to enjoy the first picture of Walkabout 2012 in which I make an appearance.  So for you conspiracy theorists, I am actually out here.  Unless I’m really good at Photoshop.
• And with that, it’s time to head home.  But on the way, there’s still Bozeman, Yellowstone, Mt. Rushmore, Crazyhorse, the Badlands and the birthplace of The Jester to visit.

Walkabout 2012 Day 11: Wenatchee to Spokane

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Notes

• A few weeks ago I saw a documentary about the Grand Coulee Dam.  The only reason I drove the way I did today was because of that, I had to see it. 
• I briefly considered skipping Spokane and heading straight into Montana.  I’m glad I didn’t.
• Spokane appears to be a city that was preserved in amber in 1953.  I’m not sure they have a single building in their downtown built since then.
• With that, I congratulate Spokane on preserving and “repurposing” their older buildings and not shitting away their history like some cities.  (Dallas)
• Nice meal at Milford’s – extremely friendly service.  My only complaint is that there were three different sauces on my entrée.  What’s that all about?
• The magic number is 5.  #beltregreatestrangerever
• On to Glacier.  This is going to be awesome!

Walkabout Day 10: Seattle to Wenatchee

Notes

• Not many pictures today.  Like central Oregon, it’s very smoky in central Washington from forest fires.
• Also, sometimes I just don’t want to stop and take pictures.  This was one of those times.
• For those following at home, yes I had planned to stop in Coulee, but this was the closest hotel I could find.
• But to appease JT, I have included pictures of the Bloody Mary enjoyed while not enjoying the Cowboys pathetic victory over Tampa Bay.
• There’s a town about 20 miles west of Wenatchee called Leavenworth where their schtick is the whole town looks like a Bavarian village.  It was kinda cool and kinda weird.  I wish I had know about it.  It would have been fun to stay there instead.

 

Walkabout 2012 Day 8: Newport to McMinnville

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• It was a totally random that I ended up in Newport.  What a great port town!
• There’s no way I could stay sober in Oregon.  The wine and the beer are just too good.  The fresh fruit is also great.  So at least I would have that going for me.  Which is nice.
• Don’t that I’m a Satanist, but I’m a fan of the crazy satanic names of geological oddities.  For instance, the Devil’s Backbone in the Texas Hill Country (also the name of Real Ale’s fine Belgian Style Ale and one of the best beers brewed in Texas) or the Devil’s Postpile in California.  But I had to giggle at the name of The Devil’s Punch Bowl.  If the Devil is throwing party’s how bad can Hell be??
• Blessed are the Tillamook Cheesemakers!
• Rosemary in mashed potatoes.  Who knew??

 

OMG  the new DTE record 417!!!

Walkabout 2012 Day 7: Bend to Newport

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Notes

• It’s nearly impossible to show how smoky much of this trip was.  I’ve upped the contrast of many of the mountain pictures just to cut through the smoke.
• Literally drove through a forest fire in the Deschutes Forest which I believe is named after the brewery.
• This may well have been the most awesomest day of the Walkabout.  It started with the best meal of so far at Chow in Bend and an nice 6 mile hike up and back down a mountain to work off that breakfast.
• Newport OR feels very much like it could be a small coastal town in Maine.
• Also making this a great day, the two best smells in the world, ocean and pine forest.  Both of which I enjoyed today.
• While Georgia’s Beachside Grill was a generic dining experience.  If you’re ever in Newport, swing by and say “Hi” to Deb the spunky bartendendrix who looks like the Goth chick from NCIS and sounds like Sarah Palin.  BTW  that crazy nasally Midwest accent is the dominant accent of Oregon.  You betcha.
• Every guy in Oregon looks like he’s Skinny Pete or Badger or knows Skinny Pete or Badger
• While the worst thing about Oregon is you can’t pump your own gas, the best thing is no sales tax.  Oh and the great beer and wine and fresh fruit.

Eating Bend: Chow

I’m not going to review many of the places I eat at during Walkabout, unless they are worth reviewing.  Chow is the first contender.  A simple breakfast and lunch place in Bend Oregon that only does everything the right way.

Bacon Lime French Toast

The Caesar -- Egg, Corn Cake, Avocado, Roasted Green Chili Sauce, Hollandaise Sauce, Queso
Fresco

 

Both of these items tasted better than they look and they’re both gorgeous.

A+

 

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Walkabout 2012 Day 6: Boise to Bend

 

Notes

• Wow was that a boring drive.  Nothing to take any pictures of.  Plus there’s a huge forest fire in central Oregon making everything very hazy.
• The people of Bend don’t look very healthy.  And it’s not surprising that Oregon was Ground Zero for our nation’s Meth epidemic.  Heisenberg would make a fortune here.
• Dinner tonight, fresh local peaches.  Yup, peaches in September.
• Thank You Super 8 for having real glasses in my room and not making me drink my Willamette Valley Pinot Noir with a plastic cup.
• Speaking of Super 8, this was is largely abandoned.  Thank you Travelocity Secrets.

Whoohoo!!  My highest Distance to Empty EVAR!

Walkabout 2012 Day 5: Salt Lake City to Boise

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Note

• I’m walking over to the Starbucks near my hotel in Salt Lake City and I start noticing it smells like the ocean.  How can that be?  We’re hundreds of miles inland.  Oh, right, SALT LAKE City.
• I spent the first 20 minutes of the trip this day just trying to get on the highway.  I guess Mormons don’t believe in access roads or proper signage.
• Easily the best meal of the trip was at Fork in downtown Boise.  Cheese board, flank steak with mashed potatoes and several glasses of Idaho wine.
• I didn’t take any pictures in Salt Lake City.  It was just too smoky.  You could not see the mountains as seen in the picture below.  Seriously, you could kinda make out that there might be something over there like  shadow.  But nothing you could take a picture of.

 

Walkabout 2012 Day 4: Grand Junction to Salt Lake City

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Notes

• Made a side trip to Arches National Park on my way to Salt Lake City.
• I forgot to mention it in the previous blog entry, but it’s very dry in Colorado.  Humidity has been around 10%.
• The day started out with some rain and very ominous clouds.  But by the time I got to Arches, there was nothing but blue sky.
• Hiking most of the day in Arches made me wish I had not forgotten to bring my Nalgene.
• Salt Lake City has an MLK Blvd.  Who knew?
• It is very hazy/smoky in Utah.  Is it on fire?

 

Walkabout 2012 Day 3: Colorado Springs to Grand Junction

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Notes:

• I’m so glad I decide to go through Aspen (where I’ve never been) instead of Montrose (where I have been before).  The white-knuckle drive through the Independence Pass was worth the price of admission.  Although I was panicking at the time.
• Fucking Cowboys ruined my lunch in Aspen
• Hearing a random Van Morrison deep cut on the radio outside of Aspen was very cool.
• Grand Junction may have the worst TV news anchors ever.
• Is it a law in Colorado Springs that everyone has to wear Northface/Columbia/REI gear no matter what they are doing?  Come on.  Not everyone is going for a hike/bike/ski always all the time.

 

Walkabout 2012 Day 2: Amarillo to Colorado Springs

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Notes

• A beautiful morning wasted in Amarillo.
• My path to Colorado Springs follows the path taken home at the end of my first Walkabout.  I had wanted to see all those charming little towns in Colorado in the daylight.  Too bad they’re much more charming at 2 in the morning.
• It’s been almost a decade since my last visit to Colorado Springs and two decades since my first visit.  And I have forgotten how beautiful this town is.
• It is obligatory to consume Italian Nachos whenever I’m in  town with an Old Chicago (no longer in Dallas) as an homage to our old Wednesday Night Ultimate post pickup pizza place.  They are delicious, but something I can only do every five years.

 

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Walkabout 2012 Day 1: Dallas to Amarillo

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No pictures taken during day one since it was mostly at night and it would have duplicated many of the pictures taken in the first Walkabout.

Notes:

• Why is it I can hear the radio broadcast of the Rockies, White Sox and Cardinals but not the two time defending America League Champion Texas Rangers outside of Wichita Falls?
• I could, however hear the incoherent rantings of Michael Savage on multiple stations.  Rural America loves them some Savage Nation.
• Amarillo smells like New Jersey, and by transitivity, Houston.
• Do the people of Amarillo choose to live here or were they sentenced to live here after abusing a special-needs child?
• If I later find that I have been infested with bed bugs, I am 99% sure it was the Travel Lodge in Amarillo that did it.

Walkabout 2012: Final Preparations

The updated travel schedule now includes moseying across Colorado, spending some time in the Bandlands of South Dakota and marveling at the utter flatness of Nebraska and Kansas.

 

Thursday Sep 13	Dallas
Friday Sep 14	Amarillo
Saturday Sep 15	Colorado Springs
Sunday Sep 16	Grand Junction
Monday Sep 17	Arches
Tuesday Sep 18	Twin Falls ID
Wednesday Sep 19	Boise
Thursday Sep 20	Bend
Friday Sep 21	McMinville
Saturday Sep 22	Seattle
Sunday Sep 23	Coulee
Monday Sep 24	Spokane
Tuesday Sep 25	Glacier NP
Wednesday Sep 26	Glacier NP
Thursday Sep 27	Bozeman
Friday Sep 28	Yellowstone
Saturday Sep 29	Yellowstone
Sunday Sep 30	Jackson
Monday Oct 01	Casper
Tuesday Oct 02	Badlands NP
Wednesday Oct 03	Grand Island, NE
Thursday Oct 04	OKC
Friday Oct 05	Dallas